Programmer

Programmers learn various aspects of game programming with most work done in C++. The programmer curriculum produces T-shaped graduates - generalist programmers with specialized skills in a subject or two that they're passionate about.

Studying to become a programmer at PlaygroundSquad will teach you the ins and outs of how to make a game tick, studying a wealth of different areas such as rendering, gameplay programming, AI, networking, physics, and more. An emphasis is put on practical learning, where you work towards a given goal on your own, evaluating different approaches and being given free reign to implement your own solutions.

Curriculum

The programmer curriculum starts off with a brief mathematics course to lay a solid foundation for what is to come - a plethora of game development courses. Programmers study three game programming courses and three game projects during their education. Each course gradually builds your skill as a professional game programmer, and a game project follows each course to let you apply your newly acquired skills.

Projects

During a game project at PlaygroundSquad, programmers are ultimately responsible for implementing the game itself. There are usually two or three programmers in a project group, and they collaborate both amongst themselves and with other disciplines to reach this goal.

Programmers usually work with our in-house 3D middleware TenGine, but they are free to use any engine they see fit. Building on a barebones framework, they implement the game from scratch and are able to apply and re-use their work in future game projects.

As PlaygroundSquad is part of PlayStation First, programmers are also able to work on PlayStation hardware to give them an extra edge when starting their internship at a real company.

Careers

After graduating as a programmer you are able to work as a programming generalist at both large and small studios alike. More specialized roles may also be available later in your career, or for those that have chosen to specialize during their education - it's all up to the student. Most graduates will begin an entry-level position such as gameplay or generalist programmer.

Applying

Programmer applicants will need prior knowledge in a programming language such as C, C++, C#, or Java - but any programming language will also suffice, as long as you've got a logical mind. Knowledge in object-oriented programming or rendering programming are meriting.